Major shopping malls across the country should set apart one day every week as a “families-only” day and display this decision through clearly visible notices, the Central Municipal Council (CMC) has suggested.
Following up on its previous suggestions and discussions on the issue, the CMC issued yesterday a number of recommendations addressed to the Ministry of Economy and Commerce (MEC). The members of the council saw a need to assign special days for families at the major shopping malls and spare them from the crowds of single workers during weekends in particular. However, some members suggested that malls could keep some weekends for workers and others for families alternately. Accordingly, the council issued a recommendation that co-ordination should be made among the various malls to assign an exclusive day for families which will be different from other malls to maintain an adequate balance and give families the option to select the day most convenient to them.
During yesterday’s regular session, the council issued other recommendations addressed to the Public Works Authority (Ashghal) regarding the creation of service parking lots on the expressways . These include the creation of adequate parking spaces for light vehicles, trucks and ambulances to handle any emergency.
Besides, the council recommended the use of the vacant areas between Woqod fuel stations and the main road as service parking lots. In future road designs, such recommendations should be taken into consideration, it said.
The council hosted a delegation from the Community Policing Department at the Ministry of Interior. The team included Colonel Dr Ahmed Zayid al-Muhannadi, director of the community policing department, Lieutenant Colonel Ghanim Saad al-Khayarin, head of the community policing affairs and Major Rashid Mubarak al-Khayarin, head of the social support section.
Colonel Dr al-Muhannadi briefed the council on the roles and functions of community police personnel, stressing the need to abolish any psychological barrier between people and the police to encourage free communication. “This will help people to be aware of their rights and the efforts of the Ministry of Interior to enhance safety and security in the society.”
